Edelweiss Applied Science and Technology ISSN: 2576-8484 Vol. 9, No. 6, 1884-1896 2025 Publisher: Learning Gate DOI: 10.55214/25768484.v9i6.8274 © 2025 by the authors; licensee Learning Gate © 2025 by the authors; licensee Learning Gate History: Received: 18 April 2025; Revised: 19 May 2025; Accepted: 22 May 2025; Published: 21 June 2025 * Correspondence: kristianabebhe@yahoo.com Effect of plastic waste shredding and its mixture formula on increasing the compressive strength of earth bricks Kristiana Bebhe1*, LMF Purwanto2, Hermawan3 1Faculty of Architecture and Design, Soegijapranata Catholic University, Semarang and Lechture of Architecture study program, Faculty of Engineering, Widya Mandira Kupang Catholic University, Indonesia; kristianabebhe@yahoo.com (K.B.). 2,3Faculty of Architecture and Design, Soegijapranata Catholic University, Semarang, Indonesia. Abstract: Plastic waste is a global problem that threatens the environment because it is difficult to decompose and can damage ecosystems. The large amount of plastic waste that has not been processed poses environmental risks as well as depletes local white soil resources, which are valuable for building materials. These factors strongly motivate the recycling of plastic waste and white soil into quality building products. This study aims to recycle and examine the effects of shredding four types of plastic waste and variations in mixture formulas with white soil and cement to improve the compressive strength of white soil brick building materials in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. White soil is a calcareous soil with different characteristics from the clay commonly used as a basic material for brick making. Ordinary soil materials are less capable of integrating with plastic waste without melting it first. In contrast, white soil is limestone-based, containing calcite, which can function as an adhesive. White soil makes up coral islands and limestone hills. In this study, four types of plastic waste were used: PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate), LDPE (Low-Density Polyethylene), PP (Polypropylene), and PS (Polystyrene), as part of the mixture for making white soil bricks. The method employed was an experimental approach involving the production of plastic waste-white soil bricks with three variations of mixture formulas combining plastic waste, white soil, and cement as an adhesive. The compressive strength test was conducted to observe the effects of the four types of plastic waste and the different formulas on the weight and compressive strength of the white soil bricks. Results showed that the use of plastic waste in manufacturing white soil bricks significantly affected compressive strength and reduced weight. All waste types contributed to increased compressive strength, especially LDPE waste, which reached a maximum of 100.3 kg/cm². The most effective formula was a mixture of 1 part cement, 1 part plastic waste, and 7 parts white soil. The compressive strength of these plastic waste-white soil bricks meets the requirements for concrete bricks according to Indonesian National Standard-03-0349-1989 and can be used as wall materials per Indonesian National Standard 03-6881.1-2000. The novelty of this research lies in demonstrating the ability of four types of plastic shreds without melting and identifying the most effective formula for producing lightweight, high-quality composite bricks from local white soil and plastic waste materials. Keywords: Compressive strength, Mix formula, Plastic waste type, Weighting. 1. Introduction The problem of plastic waste in the world and Indonesia is an important issue that must be faced. Indonesia is one of the largest producers of marine plastic waste in the world, with an estimated 1.29 million tons entering the sea each year, and still 58% of waste that has not been processed [1-3]. News from Narasi Tv https://narasi.tv/read/narasi-daily/daftar-negara-penghasil-polusi-plastik- terbesar?utm_source=copy_link&utm_medium=share, Indonesia is the world's number 3 waste producer, and can be seen in Table 1 Plastic waste has always been a major problem in environmental 1885 Edelweiss Applied Science and Technology ISSN: 2576-8484 Vol. 9, No. 6: 1884-1896, 2025 DOI: 10.55214/25768484.v9i6.8274 © 2025 by the authors; licensee Learning Gate pollution, both land and marine pollution. The nature of plastic waste is not easily decomposed, the processing process causes toxins and is carcinogenic, and it takes up to hundreds of years if it decomposes naturally [1, 2]. Table 1. Largest Plastic Waste Producing Countries in the World. No. Waste-producing countries Total (tons/year) 1 India 9.275.777 2 Nigeria 3.532.479 3 Indonesia 3.352.229 4 China 2.808.179 5 Pakistan 2.567.461 6 Bangladesh 1.748.215 7 Russia 1.702.453 8 Brazil 1.444.824 9 Thailand 995.718 10 Congo 963.328 Source: https://narasi.tv/read/narasi-daily/daftar-negara-penghasil-polusi-plastik terbesar#google_vignette. In the official website of the National Waste Management Information System (SIPSN) of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) https://sipsn.menlhk.go.id/sipsn/ in 2023, from 366 districts / cities in Indonesia, the amount of national waste has reached 38.3 million tons. Of this national waste, 61.75% (23.6 tons) can be managed, while the remaining 38.25% (14.6 tons) has not been managed. According to the latest news from RRI Kupang, waste generation in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara reaches 233 tons/day. With so much plastic waste in Indonesia and Kupang, waste management is an urgent matter. One solution to handling plastic waste is to process it into building materials, especially for brick making. Brick making with additional plastic waste is an interesting solution to reduce plastic waste while improving the quality of brick building materials. Brick is a wall building material that is commonly used in Indonesia and the world and is based on soil, including local white soil material. Tanah putih is the local name in Kupang NTT for limestone/calcium carbonate (CaCO3). It is a material derived from crushed limestone and coral, and contains 35-60% sand. White soil has several characteristics that differ from clay and other soils, including; it can be a substitute for coarse and fine aggregates [4] as a substitute for some adhesive materials because it contains Calsit [5] and is the basic ingredient of kupang cement and is white in color. Bricks produced from white soil tend to have weaknesses in compressive strength [6] , so other materials with strong and tough properties must be added in order to improve their strength [7, 8]. The lightweight, tough, strong, rigid, and corrosion resistant properties of plastic waste are expected to improve the strength of white soil bricks [9] ... By adding plastic to the brick composition, the quality and mechanical properties of the brick in this case its compressive strength are expected to improve. Based on research, the compressive strength of HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) 950 kg/cm², PP (PolyPropylene) 905 kg/cm², LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene) 920 kg/cm² and PET ( Polyethylene terephthalate ) 1455 kg/cm² [10]. With this high compressive strength potential of plastic, it is expected to increase the compressive strength of bricks. In previous studies, plastic waste added to the soil tends to separate and in order to adhere well, the plastic is melted first. The melted PET plastic liquid serves as a soil/sand adhesive, and the maximum compressive strength is at a ratio of sand to PET plastic waste of 1: 3 [11]. In another study, plastic waste of various types that were melted and added to sand with a percentage of 15% plastic waste gave maximum compressive strength [12]. In another study, plastic bottles were filled with sand, then used as construction materials casted with aggregate [13]. There is also PET plastic waste from the beach chopped into small pieces or shredded then mixed with cement and fly ash and sand in the manufacture of concrete bricks, the maximum compressive strength when adding 1% plastic waste [14]. Some plastic waste is also melted, then molded into plastic https://narasi.tv/read/narasi-daily/daftar-negara-penghasil-polusi-plastik%20terbesar#google_vignette https://sipsn.menlhk.go.id/sipsn/ 1886 Edelweiss Applied Science and Technology ISSN: 2576-8484 Vol. 9, No. 6: 1884-1896, 2025 DOI: 10.55214/25768484.v9i6.8274 © 2025 by the authors; licensee Learning Gate panels that are reinforced with natural fibers to study the aesthetic value and strength. Thin panels of melted plastic waste can be used for walls and ceilings [15]. PS plastic waste, which is added to bricks to make them lighter, but its compressive strength is lower than bricks without PS plastic waste [16]. Comparative research on the compressive strength of bricks from 3 types of plastic waste, namely PET, PP and HDPE which plastic through the process of melting / melting first, the highest compressive strength is brick denngan plastic type PP [17]. The use of LDPE waste for brick making with a composition of 6.5 sand, 1 cement and 1.5 LDPE produces a lower compressive strength than ordinary bricks, namely 18kg / cm [18]. In Figure 1 can be seen the form of using plastic waste for wall materials. Figure 1. Use of plastic waste for wall materials. Previous research has widely discussed the utilization of plastic waste as an additional material in brick making, namely when mixed with soil plastic waste is melted first and of course melting plastic waste is not environmentally friendly. When mixed with sand in concrete brick making, some are melted while others use cement and fly ash as adhesive materials. However, a specific study exploring the effect of shredding 4 types of plastic waste (PET. PP, LDPE and PS) without melting on the compressive strength of bricks made from white soil has not been conducted. In addition, the ideal composition/formula between white soil, cement and plastic waste has also not been studied. Therefore, this research will fill the void by exploring the variation of 4 types of plastic waste and the composition of materials in making quality and more environmentally friendly white soil plastic waste bricks. 2. Material and Method This research was conducted in several main stages: 1887 Edelweiss Applied Science and Technology ISSN: 2576-8484 Vol. 9, No. 6: 1884-1896, 2025 DOI: 10.55214/25768484.v9i6.8274 © 2025 by the authors; licensee Learning Gate 3. Research Design 3.1. Materials and Equipment Brick-making materials such as plastic waste, white soil and cement and water were prepared first. The white soil was sieved first with a 5 mm perforated sieve which can be observed in Figure 2. Each plastic waste was separated based on its type, then made shreds with a size of 2-3cm wide and 3-5cm long. The chopped waste is separated according to its type as shown in Figure 3. Figure 2. Sifting white soil. Figure 3. Shredded PET, PP, LDPE and PS plastic waste. The brick-making equipment consists of a brick press, bucket, shovel, iron and cement scoop. Initially, the brick molding tool was in a form that produced interlocking bricks, but the molding process encountered problems due to wet dough, making it difficult to form interlocking. The molding tool used is a manual wooden molding tool with a size of 60 cm long, 24 cm wide and 12 cm high. One molding can produce 5 bricks at a time. The equipment used is shown in Figure 4. Figure 4. Brick making equipment. 3.2. Mixed Formula Composition 1: 7 white soil 1 cement Composition 2: 1 plastic waste 7 white soil 1 cement Composition 3: 2 plastic waste 7 white soil 1 cement Composition 4: 3 plastic waste 7 white soil 1 cement In detail, it can be observed in Table 2. 1888 Edelweiss Applied Science and Technology ISSN: 2576-8484 Vol. 9, No. 6: 1884-1896, 2025 DOI: 10.55214/25768484.v9i6.8274 © 2025 by the authors; licensee Learning Gate Table 2. Mixture Formula. No. Brick Sample S TP CSP Age (days) Quantity (pieces) Size p x l x t (cm) 1 BTPCSP0 1 7 0 28 3 24 x 12 x 12 2 BTPCSP11 1 7 1 28 3 24 x 12 x 12 BTPCSP12 1 7 2 28 3 BTPCSP13 1 7 3 28 3 3 BTPCSP21 1 7 1 28 3 24 x 12 x 12 BTPCSP22 1 7 2 28 3 BTPCSP23 1 7 3 28 3 4 BTPCSP31 1 7 1 28 3 24 x 12 x 12 BTPCSP32 1 7 2 28 3 BTPCSP33 1 7 3 28 3 5 BTPCSP41 1 7 1 28 3 24 x 12 x 12 BTPCSP42 1 7 2 28 3 BTPCSP43 1 7 3 28 3 Description: TP=White Land, S = cement, CSP = Shredded Plastic Waste (Types 1,2,3 and 4) BTPCSP0 = White earth brick without plastic waste mixture BTPCSP11 = White soil brick mixed with plastic waste type 1 (PET) formula 1 BTPCSP12 = White soil brick mixed with plastic waste type 1 (PET) formula 2 BTPCSP13 = White soil brick mixed with plastic waste type 1 (PET) formula 3 BTPCSP21 = White earth brick mixed with plastic waste type 2 (PP) formula 1 BTPCSP22 = White earth brick mixed with plastic waste type 2 (PP) formula 2 BTPCSP23 = White earth brick mixed with plastic waste type 2 (PP) formula 3 BTPCSP31 = White earth brick mixed with plastic waste type 3 (LDPE) formula 1 BTPCSP32 = White earth brick mixed with plastic waste type 3 (LDPE) formula2 BTPCSP33 = White earth brick mixed with plastic waste type 3 (LDPE) formula 3 BTPCSP41 = White soil brick mixed plastic waste type 4 (PS) formula 1 BTPCSP42 = White earth brick mixed with plastic waste type 4 (PS) formula 2 BTPCSP43 = White earth brick mixed with plastic waste type 4 (PS) formula 3 3.3. Brick Making After the white soil is mixed with cement and chopped plastic waste, water is added to approximately 25% of the total mixture until it thickens, and mixed evenly using a shovel and cement spoon. This mixture is then molded in a mold placed on a flat and watertight base. The mixture is inserted while being compacted. After 10 minutes, the mold is removed. The process of mixing materials to molding bricks with the addition of one type of plastic waste can be seen in Figure 5. The wet bricks were left under the roof until they were 28 days old or older, then observed for physical properties, labeled according to plastic type and mix formula and ready for testing. 1889 Edelweiss Applied Science and Technology ISSN: 2576-8484 Vol. 9, No. 6: 1884-1896, 2025 DOI: 10.55214/25768484.v9i6.8274 © 2025 by the authors; licensee Learning Gate Figure 5. Process of mixing materials to molding bricks. 4. Result 4.1. Compressive Strength Test and Brick Weight Measurement The compressive strength test was carried out using a press test machine to determine the compressive strength of the brick sample as shown in Figure 6. This test was carried out at the material testing laboratory of the PUPR Office of NTT Province on September 17, 2024, with details of the results in Table 3 Table 3. Weight and compressive strength test results. No. Brick sample Size Pxlxt Weight (grams) Compressive strength (KN) Compressive strength (kg/cm²) 1 BTPCSP0 24 x 12 x 12 6330 118 41.4 2 BTPCSP0 24 x 12 x 12 6360 125 43.8 3 BTPCSP0 24 x 12 x 12 6310 119 41.7 4 BTPCSP11 24 x 12 x 12 6150 196 68.7 5 BTPCSP11 24 x 12 x 12 6145 185 64.9 6 BTPCSP11 24 x 12 x 12 6140 190 66.6 7 BTPCSP12 24 x 12 x 12 6010 132 46.3 8 BTPCSP12 24 x 12 x 12 6050 138 48.4 9 BTPCSP12 24 x 12 x 12 6020 137 48.1 10 BTPCSP13 24 x 12 x 12 5040 130 45.6 11 BTPCSP13 24 x 12 x 12 5035 125 43.8 12 BTPCSP13 24 x 12 x 12 5050 130 45.6 13 BTPCSP21 24 x 12 x 12 6220 223 78.2 14 BTPCSP21 24 x 12 x 12 6200 231 81.0 15 BTPCSP21 24 x 12 x 12 6210 264 92.6 16 BTPCSP22 24 x 12 x 12 6100 124 43.5 17 BTPCSP22 24 x 12 x 12 6120 122 42.8 18 BTPCSP22 24 x 12 x 12 6120 126 44.2 19 BTPCSP23 24 x 12 x 12 5065 94 33.0 20 BTPCSP23 24 x 12 x 12 5055 107 37.5 21 BTPCSP23 24 x 12 x 12 5060 101 35.4 22 BTPCSP31 24 x 12 x 12 6130 286 100.3 23 BTPCSP31 24 x 12 x 12 6140 268 94.0 24 BTPCSP31 24 x 12 x 12 6130 279 97.8 25 BTPCSP32 24 x 12 x 12 6020 172 60.3 26 BTPCSP32 24 x 12 x 12 6000 181 63.5 27 BTPCSP32 24 x 12 x 12 6020 176 61.7 1890 Edelweiss Applied Science and Technology ISSN: 2576-8484 Vol. 9, No. 6: 1884-1896, 2025 DOI: 10.55214/25768484.v9i6.8274 © 2025 by the authors; licensee Learning Gate 28 BTPCSP33 24 x 12 x 12 5030 97 34.0 29 BTPCSP33 24 x 12 x 12 5020 106 37.2 30 BTPCSP33 24 x 12 x 12 5000 99 34.7 31 BTPCSP41 24 x 12 x 12 6010 157 55.1 32 BTPCSP41 24 x 12 x 12 6000 148 52.0 33 BTPCSP41 24 x 12 x 12 6105 152 53.3 34 BTPCSP42 24 x 12 x 12 5040 105 36.8 35 BTPCSP42 24 x 12 x 12 5050 108 37.9 36 BTPCSP42 24 x 12 x 12 5045 101 35.4 37 BTPCSP43 24 x 12 x 12 5000 77 27.0 38 BTPCSP43 24 x 12 x 12 4890 80 28.1 39 BTPCSP43 24 x 12 x 12 4900 85 29.8 Source: The results of compressive strength measurements at the Lab.Testing materials PUPR Office of NTT Province. Figure 6. Compressive strength testing. The following is the average brick weight in Table 4 and the average brick compressive strength in Table 5 processed from measurement data at the material testing laboratory of the PUPR Office of NTT Province. Table 4. Average Weight of Brick. No. Brick sample Type plastic Weight (grams) 1 BTPCSP0 _ 6333 2 BTPCSP11 PET 6145 3 BTPCSP12 PET 6027 4 BTPCSP13 PET 5042 5 BTPCSP21 PP 6210 6 BTPCSP22 PP 6013 7 BTPCSP23 PP 5060 8 BTPCSP31 LDPE 6133 9 BTPCSP32 LDPE 6023 10 BTPCSP33 LDPE 5017 11 BTPCSP41 PS 6020 12 BTPCSP42 PS 5045 13 BTPCSP43 PS 4930 Source: Data processing results of brick weight from the NTT PUPR Office. The following is a diagram of the average measurement of brick weight from the NTT PUPR Office testing laboratory which can be seen in Figure 7. 1891 Edelweiss Applied Science and Technology ISSN: 2576-8484 Vol. 9, No. 6: 1884-1896, 2025 DOI: 10.55214/25768484.v9i6.8274 © 2025 by the authors; licensee Learning Gate Figure 7. Average weight diagram of bricks. Table 5. Average compressive strength. No. Brick sample Type plastic Compressive strength (kg/cm²) 1 BTPCSP0 _ 42.3 2 BTPCSP11 PET 66.7 3 BTPCSP12 PET 47.6 4 BTPCSP13 PET 45.0 5 BTPCSP21 PP 83.9 6 BTPCSP22 PP 43.5 7 BTPCSP23 PP 35.3 8 BTPCSP31 LDPE 97.4 9 BTPCSP32 LDPE 61.8 10 BTPCSP33 LDPE 35.3 11 BTPCSP41 PS 53.5 12 BTPCSP42 PS 36.7 13 BTPCSP43 PS 28.3 Source: Data processing results of compressive strength from the NTT PUPR Office. The average compressive strength of the bricks can be observed in diagram 4 below. 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 BTPCSP0 BTPCSP1 BTPCSP2 BTPCSP3 BTPCSP4 formula 1 formula 2 formula 3 1892 Edelweiss Applied Science and Technology ISSN: 2576-8484 Vol. 9, No. 6: 1884-1896, 2025 DOI: 10.55214/25768484.v9i6.8274 © 2025 by the authors; licensee Learning Gate Figure 8. Diagram of average compressive strength of bricks. 5. Discussion 5.1. Discussion of Compressive Strength Results The test results show a significant difference in the compressive strength of bricks made without plastic waste and those made with plastic waste. a. Composition 1 or formula 1 cement and 7 white soil (BTPCSP0) showed a stable compressive strength, in accordance with the standard of ordinary brick from white soil without plastic waste mixture, which is 42.3 kg/cm². b. Composition 2 or formula 1, namely 1 cement 7 white soil and 1 plastic waste, bricks with a mixture of PET waste (BTCSP11) experienced an increase in compressive strength of 57.7%, PP (BTPCSP21) 98.3%, LDPE (BTPCSP31) 130.3% and PS (BTPCSP41) 26.5% compared to without plastic waste. This shows that plastic waste increases the compressive strength of bricks significantly according to the type of plastic waste. In Formula 1 plastic waste 7 white soil and 1 cement, LDPE waste has the highest compressive strength. The elasticity properties possessed by LDPE helps to increase the toughness and durability of the composite material against compressive loads [19]. Meanwhile, PP waste also has a great influence on the increase in compressive strength due to its structure and great hardness [20]. In addition, the irregular shape of the shreds in the PP waste treatment allows PP waste as an aggregate that strengthens the brick. PET waste also increased the compressive strength of this formula, although not as high as LDPE and PP. PET waste, which is quite hard in small elongated pieces, is enough to be a fiber material that can strengthen the bricks but is not as elastic as LDPE waste [21]. PS waste also increases the compressive strength although slightly. The hollow structure of PS plastic and its low density affect the compressive strength of bricks. In this formula, PS is enough to reinforce the bricks [22]. c. Composition 3 or formula 2, namely 1 cement 7 white soil and 2 plastic waste, showed an increase in compressive strength in bricks with a mixture of plastic waste PET (BTPCSP12) 12.5%, PP (BTPCSP22) 2.8%, LDPE (BTPCSP32) 46.1% while PS (BTPCSP41) decreased 13.2% compared to bricks without plastic. In formula 1 cement 7 white soil and 2 plastic waste, LDPE waste still increased the compressive strength by 46.1%. This is due to the elasticity of LDPE and the thin, 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 BTPCSP0 BTPCSP1 BTPCSP2 BTPCSP3 BTPCSP4 formula 1 formula 2 formula 3 1893 Edelweiss Applied Science and Technology ISSN: 2576-8484 Vol. 9, No. 6: 1884-1896, 2025 DOI: 10.55214/25768484.v9i6.8274 © 2025 by the authors; licensee Learning Gate elongated shape of the shreds that function as reinforcing fibers, [23]. PET and PP also still influence the compressive strength although not too high, namely 12.5% and 2.8%. This means that PET waste still functions as a reinforcement and PP, although slightly reinforcing, still functions as an aggregate to lighten the brick. Meanwhile, PS in this formula has experienced a 26.5% decrease in compressive strength, namely 36.7kg/cm². The hollow structure of PS and its brittle mechanical properties affect the decrease in the compressive strength of the bricks [24]. d. Composition 4 or formula 3, namely 1 cement 7 white soil and 3 plastic waste, bricks with a mixture of PET waste (BTPCSP13) showed an increase of 6.4%, PP (BTPCSP23) and LDPE (BTPCSP33) decreased by 16.5% while PS (BTPCSP43) decreased by 33.1%. In this formula, LDPE waste, although more plastic, and in formula 2 increased the compressive strength of bricks, but in formula 3 it was not able to increase the compressive strength of bricks [25]. PET waste still increased the compressive strength slightly by 6.5%. The stronger and more stable structure of PET makes it still increase the compressive strength [26]. e. Comparison of plastic types showed that LDPE gave slightly higher compressive strength results than PET, and PP while PS was lower than the others at the same composition. f. All experimental bricks meet the minimum compressive strength of SNI 03-0349-1989 which is 20kg/cm². These results show that the addition of plastic waste to bricks gives mixed results, depending on the type of plastic and the formula/mixture used. The compressive strength of LDPE bricks was highest than PP. PET and PS. The elasticity property of LDPE helps to increase the toughness and durability of the composite material against compressive load [19]. The elasticity of LDPE allows the bricks to better withstand stresses before breaking, contributing to higher compressive strength and improved dimensional stability. This is because LDPE can improve the cohesion between particles in the mix, even though it is not chemically bonded directly to the cement [27, 28]. PP and PET plastic waste also considerably influence the increase in compressive strength. Where in this study. The addition of PS in the brick mix did not increase the compressive strength significantly due to its brittle mechanical properties [24] its inability to bond with the cement matrix, poor stress distribution, and low toughness [29]. Although PS has a low density, which may be useful for reducing brick weight, it does not provide the structural reinforcement required to improve mechanical properties such as compressive strength [22]. 5.2. Discussion of Compressive Strength Results in Relation to Concrete Brick Quality Requirements Based on the quality requirements of concrete bricks SNI 03-0349-1989 [30]. The experimental results of white earth bricks mixed with 4 types of plastic waste meet several quality categories, as can be seen in Table 6. No brick samples do not meet the minimum compressive strength requirements. Table 6. Concrete brick quality requirements. No. Quality Compressive strength (kg/cm²) Brick sample 1 I 80-100 BTPCSP31, BTPCSP21 2 II 60-70 BTPCSP11, BTPCSP32 3 III 35-40 BTPCSP41 BTPCSP12, BTPCSP13 BTPCSP22, BTPCSP23 BTPCSP33, BTPCSP42 BTPCSP0 4 IV 21-25 BTPCSSP43 Source: Results of analysis of compressive strength test results and requirements for compressive strength of concrete bricks SNI 03-0349- 1989. Based on the requirements for use as wall material SNI 03-6881.1-2000 [30] the experimental bricks can be categorized as in Table 7. 1894 Edelweiss Applied Science and Technology ISSN: 2576-8484 Vol. 9, No. 6: 1884-1896, 2025 DOI: 10.55214/25768484.v9i6.8274 © 2025 by the authors; licensee Learning Gate Table 7. Requirements for the use of bricks as walls. No. Brick Usage Compressive strength (kg/cm²) Sample Brick 1 Unprotected, load-bearing walls 80-100 BTPCSP31, BTPCSP21 2 Load-bearing and protected walls 60-70 BTPCSP11, BTPCSP32 BTPCSP41 3 Non-load-bearing and unprotected walls 35-40 BTPCSP22, BTPCSP23 BTPCSP33, BTPCSP42 BTPCSP0 4 Non-load-bearing and protected walls 20-25 BTPCSP43 Source: results of compressive strength analysis adjusted to brick quality requirements and their use in buildings SNI 03-6881.1-2000. In general, in accordance with the demands of brick quality requirements of SNI 03-0349-1989 and SNI 03-6881,1-2000, it is concluded that; 1. All samples of white earth bricks mixed with 4 types of plastic waste, meet the requirements of compressive strength based on SNI 03-0349-1989 and can be used as a wall material based on SNI 03- 6881.1-2000. 2. White soil bricks mixed with LDPE and PP plastic waste in formula 1, namely 1 cement, 7 white soil and 1 LDPE and PP plastic waste (BTPCSP31, BTPCSP21) are of quality 1 and can be used as load-bearing and unprotected walls. 3. White earth bricks mixed with PP plastic waste formulas 2 and 3 and white earth bricks mixed with PET plastic waste formula 1 (BTPCSP11), LDPE formula 2 (BTPCSP32) and PS formula 1 (BTPCSP41) are categorized as quality 2 and are used for load-bearing and protected walls. 4. PET plastic waste white earth bricks formula 2 and 3 (BTPCSP12, BTPCSP13), LDPE formula 3 (BTPCSP33) and PS formula 2 (BTPCSP42) and white earth bricks without plastic waste (TPCSP0) are grade 3 and are for non-load bearing and unprotected walls. 5. For white earth bricks mixed with PS plastic waste formula 3 (BTPCSP43), it is grade 4 and is used for non-load-bearing and protected walls. These results show that the addition of plastic waste to white earth bricks gives mixed results, depending on the type of plastic and the proportion used. 5. Conclusion This study concluded that the utilization of plastic waste in the manufacture of white soil bricks in Kupang, NTT, can increase the compressive strength of bricks, especially at the right composition, namely 7 white soil, 1 cement and 1 plastic waste. LDPE, PP and PET are more effective than PS in improving brick quality. However, excessive use of plastic waste reduces the compressive strength of bricks. These findings can serve as a basis for further development in the utilization of waste plastic for more sustainable building materials in NTT. Transparency: The authors confirm that the manuscript is an honest, accurate, and transparent account of the study; that no vital features of the study have been omitted; and that any discrepancies from the study as planned have been explained. This study followed all ethical practices during writing. Acknowledgments: This research is part of the Dissertation of Doctor of Architecture Study Program Digital Concentration, Faculty of Architecture and Design, Unika Soegijapranata Semarang. This research is supported by the Building Materials Laboratory of PUPR NTT Province. Copyright: © 2025 by the authors. This open-access article is distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ 1895 Edelweiss Applied Science and Technology ISSN: 2576-8484 Vol. 9, No. 6: 1884-1896, 2025 DOI: 10.55214/25768484.v9i6.8274 © 2025 by the authors; licensee Learning Gate References [1] A. Fauzi, Indonesia's plastic waste emergency. Jakarta, Indonesia: Indonesia Baik, 2018. [2] Y. Zahrah, J. Yu, and X. 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